Spanish Bombers

I am many thousands of miles away from Madrid, so I can only imagine the sad faces anywhere from Barcelona to Valencia.

A Spanish court has delivered guilty verdicts on four of the leading defendants in the trial of suspects in the Madrid train bombings of March 2004.

Moroccan Jamal Zougam and Spaniard Emilio Trashorras were among those found guilty of murder. But one of those accused of masterminding the plot, Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, was acquitted.Four men were found guilty of planning and carrying out the attacks and given 30 years for each of the 191 people killed and 18 years for each of the 1,841 injured. Of the nine Spaniards on trial, three were acquitted through lack of evidence. All of the 28 accused had pleaded innocent during the four-month trial.

I won't be too quick to assume that 'Al-Qa'eda has scored another victory - 1st it forced the Spanish Army to surrender and evacuate Iraq, thus contributing to the "Democratic" victory of Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who is much more benign and docile to thier Salifist ideology. 2nd, a huge victory in courts which served only to further divide Spain while leaving the family members of the victims to cry yet again.'

But when a judge smiles at you at sentences you to 5,730 years in prison,thats a guilty verdict. It might not be the justice that most of the families were looking for, but it sure beats nothing.

In Search of a Lead'ER'

I was busy watching Kobe Bryant on TNT while the Democaratic hopefuls told America what they hoped to do. Quite frankly I figured I know everything they had to say, and in the absence of any surprise element, there was no reason to miss opening night.
That’s all the stats I have, and that could mean something, in the absence of any of the meaningless CNN polls.The Democrats had a debate on NBC last night , thanks to DVR I caught up with the hot ticket item that wasn’t too hot after all.

Total questions during the debate, including follow up questions:
Clinton - 21
Obama - 17
Edwards - 14
Dodd - 9
Kucinich - 8
Biden - 7
Richardson – 6

Some political gurus believe that Hillary was off-key last night. That means Obama and Edwards had a chance to gain some momentum. Honestly since his $400 haircut, I havent been too fond of John Edwards. I only wish my boy Joe Biden will make a wild leap and shake the turf, but I don’t see that happeining anytime soon.
Oh and there is always Dodd and Richardson, the two people I cant wrap my mind around any possibility of their winning an election. Dennis Kucinich,- smart guy. He can answer the most ridiculous question and he is not afriad to even answer uestions about UFO’s.

On November 4 2008, almost a year away, I can guarantee you that I wont be watching TNT. I will be hanging out with my friends at the City Hall at ‘Red Lobster’ (for some weird reason that is where we watch the election coverage).
It’s a year away and I am bored already. No hype, no shining stars, and it looks like P. Diddy won’t be organizing any ‘Vote or Die’ campaigns.
The primaries begin in January, earlier than ever before. The candidates are set to spend a total of a billion dollars - more than ever before.

BUT will it make a difference? No favorites, no wild cards, no hot tickets, no real stars. My pick? Flip a coin.

Who is Cristina Fernandez de Kichner

Welcome to my world of optimism. A world where everything is possible, even in Argentina. The wife of the outgoing president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won the election(and I mean free and fair)to take over the highest office in her country. .

Yes, Argentina's president-elect Cristina Kirchner will take over from her husband, Nestor Kirchner and just before you look baffled, that is the reality of politics in the new millennium. 'Impossible is nothing', literally. The days of presidential profiling is long gone, and that gives the most qualified candidate a chance to serve their country regardless of race, background, or sex. Of course I don’t plan on being president, but just the thought of a fair landscape is fascinating, at least in my optimistic mind. Her game plan will include fighting poverty and pushing for further Latin American integration, especially in energy issues. Good luck Cristina.

Her Excellency, Mrs. Cristina Fernandez de Kichner is Argentina's first elected female president, and just in case you are waiting for my Hillary Clinton rant, not today.

Access Granted

I have no intent to elicit humor with another Brittney Spears story, but this is America and you are free to smile(or laugh) as you wish.

I made a big deal about Spears' motherhood skills so I was obliged to at least comment on the latest twist in the drama. Remember there was a legal battle over child access and K-Fed(or Fed-EX) seemed to be the father of the century. According to a court commissioner, Britney Spears can have three monitored visits a week with her two small sons. BUT there is a catch, the party star (oh I meant the pop star) must undergo random weekly drug and alcohol tests and continue to receive parenting classes. Now that is a catch 22, at least for Britney. Call me delirious but staying sober is not as easy as people like me make it sound.

Kevin Federline was granted full custody of Sean Preston and Jayden James; then in September, the same court official cited Ms Spears' "habitual, frequent and continuous" drugs and alcohol use.

There is something very wrong with my friend Britney and I can only hope that for the sake of her children, she stays off the booze. Two afternoons and one full night per week is not my idea of parenting but it sure beats shaving her head and inviting paparazzo to her bathroom. I hope a clever Lifetime producer is working up a script for this one, because the story promises to be interesting either way you look at it.

Next time I hang out with Britney, I will remember to swing by Toys R Us or even Wal-Mart, to scoop up a car seat.

Aluta Continua. . . in Darfur

In four years, 200,000 people have died and two million have been displaced in a conflict that is ripping Sudan apart. President Al Bashir has an agenda, innocent lives are being washed away every miinute, and the world is still engaged in active debates on what to do next.

Halfway across the world in Libya, there are talks aimed at trying to end the war in Sudan's Darfur region. There are differing yet prevailing schools of thought on what should be done, could be done and who should do what. It hurts to see that maybe Darfur is becoming 'another set of poker chips on the table for governing bodies of the world. It is another Bosnia, another Rwanda, and so it goes. . . With the level of abstraction we enjoy in the western world, we will wear t-shirts making brief fashionable empathetic statements, recirculate our own money via fancy charities, hold meetings to schedule other meetings and we will feel good at the dinner table. . .and we go back to sleep.

The victims will foolishly reassure their hopes with daily media and a mother will assure her innocent son that help is on the way. For every Don Cheadle that sacrifices his life to see innocent faces around the world live in peace, there are the rest of us who wear the fancy wrist bands, talk a lot of good game and go on with our business. I genuinely commend the efforts of Cheadle and the Ocean crew. . they walk the walk.

The Sudanese government announced a unilateral ceasefire at the start of the talks, but key rebel leaders have boycotted the talks, raising doubts that they'll have a lasting impact. As you read this, there is still violence in the Darfur region. An innocent child will die today; but I am sure it would have zero effect on you and I, because we have more important things to do; like watch 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'Monday Night Football'. So who cares if a child dies in Africa? Apparently not many. . And thats the sad twist to the story. Wherever you are, in the most humble and insignificant of circumstances, you can make a difference and save a life.

Doing little is worth more than DOING NOTHING.

Aluta Continua. . The Struggle Continues

RANDOM WISDOM

The mere imparting of information is not education.

Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.

-Carter G. Woodson

What's the Real Deal with Iran?

The United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear activities. These are questions I thought about, and so I share my answers with you, serious people.

WHAT IS IRAN DOING?
Iran is trying to develop the technology of enriching uranium.
This is done by converting uranium ore into a gas which is then spun through centrifuges to separate the richer parts that can be used as fuel in a nuclear power station.

WHY ARE THERE OBJECTIONS TO THIS?
Because this technology can also be used to spin the uranium gas for longer in order to get an even higher level of enrichment and this highly enriched uranium can be used as the basis of a nuclear bomb.

WHAT SANCTIONS HAS THE SECURITY COUNCIL IMPOSED?
It has told all member states not to supply Iran with any equipment or technology that could help its uranium enrichment, its efforts to build a heavy water reactor (which could be a source of plutonium, another way of getting a nuclear bomb) and any missile development that could deliver a nuclear weapon.
The Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend its enrichment activities while talks take place about its long-term plans.

IS IRAN TRYING TO BUILD A NUCLEAR WEAPON?
Iran says that it is not. It says it is simply exercising its right under an international treaty on nuclear weapons known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
This bans it from developing a nuclear bomb but does allow it to develop nuclear power, including the technology needed to fuel power stations.
The UN's nuclear watchdog says it cannot "confirm the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program".

WHY SHOULD IRAN NOT ENRICH AS IT SEES FIT?
Members of the Security Council, especially the United States, Britain and France, do not trust Iran. For 18 years, Iran hid its enrichment program and the suspicion was that it was trying to develop bomb technology in secret.

These are random questions, hopefully with objective answers.

Read my previous blog from last September,'War with Iran, a likely event?'

"To whom who have ears let him hear" - Jesus

And Still It Burns

Of course, for every Mel Gibson and Phil Mickelson who is affected in Southern California, many thousands who are displaced don’t have any clue where to turn to next. Not everyone in California has millions of dollars stashed up in any of their other ten houses is Hawaii. Working all your life to create a life and home, only to be wiped out by raging wildfires, is not an easy thought. Some of the people affected are left with nothing, literally.

Unless they had some type of insurance that specifically covers fire damages, their only hope will be a FEMA check. I can imagine All-State and State Farm are no happy business people right about now. ’The fires, now in their fourth day, have destroyed 1,500 homes and caused at least a half-million people to flee — the largest evacuation in state history. At least 1,200 of the damaged homes were in San Diego County.’
President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for California and this puts in motion long-term federal recovery programs to help state and local governments, families, individuals and certain nonprofit organizations recover.
It’s Wednesday morning, more than almost a million people in California have been ordered to leave their homes to escape massive wildfires in the biggest evacuation in the since Hurricane Katrina.

Oh Katrina. Well, some of us can only pray for the victims in the Southern California area, and be thankful that we won’t be spending the night at the Qualcomm Stadium.

Europe Going BLUE

Just what the world needs now; a much clever way to make the world even more marginalised than it is now. Who cares about inequalities? The European Union has unveiled its version of the US Green Card - a Blue Card targeting skilled immigrants. The game plan is simple, get all the 'smart' people from anywhere possible, and match the intensity in human progressivism. Of course such 'fine minds' will be very well compensated to seek greener pastures in Europe, and trust me it will be a very attractive deal. At least that's the impression the initial report seems to suggest.

The plan is yet to go through a relatively bogus vetting process for an European Union eager to 'secure' iutself against any sense of immigrant intrusion.
If approved by EU countries, the card would allow 'suitably qualified' people and their families to live and work in EU countries. Inside scopp believes that it is a clever way of closing its borders to the rest of the world. What exactly is 'suitably qualified' and what PR firm coins these wild terms?

Lets face it, most of the unskilled and manual labor that the EU countries needed decades ago, is now flowing in abundance from Belarus, Latvia, Ukraine, and just about anywhere in Eastern Europe. Logically the next step is to institute a game plan that will alleviate a potnetial for more immigration, especially when it could be avoided.

The EU says it needs 20 million skilled immigrants over the next 20 years to fill a shortage of expertise in engineering and computer technology. I'm not the brightest guy alive, no wonder I dont really understand what this shortage means.
If the EU needs more skilled labor, someone remind the EU that education is not out of style yet. Most of the policies that work in the United States, including the Green Card, works well because of all the many istutions that had been entrenched in the American fabric since 1776. It wasnt designed by some genuis who found a way to exploit the idea of economic globalization.

My point, the European Union is trying a little too hard to become the United States of Europe. If you need lawyers, send your children to school. If you need doctors, send more children to school.

And for Christ's sake, find a way to keep them there.

Blazing California. God Help Us All

Just when I was beginning to get over the fires in Greece, California lights up. A series of unfortunate events has led the fierce winds and wildfires in the Los Angeles region from San Diego up to Santa Barbara. For those who do not have a clue of the size of the area I’m talking about, imagine a small country and you’ll be close enough.
Thousands of homes are at risk in seven counties where fires have burned up some 200,000 acres. The logical implication is that many people will have to endure the horrific relocation program, courtesy of mother nature.
The wild thing about this type of wildfires is that if caught you off guard and the only choice is to run or run faster. There is no salvaging process here neither is there a hope for coming back tomorrow in the hopes of finding anything worth admiring. We can only hope and pray that the millions of people affected will find some comfort and peace in the coming days. It’s a tough situation any way you look at it.
Malibu and L.A. are not some of the coolest places to live tonight. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said it was a "tragic time" for California, and the fact that LA County supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said emergency workers had been "stressed almost beyond the point of reason" is not good news.
I usually watch CNN headline news for just that, the headlines. . . but I actually sat down to see if any details on a rescue mission will be revealed. I know what you are thinking;- where is FEMA? Well look at it this way, FEMA ‘got burned’ in a hurricane, so just imagine how well it will survive in a fire. I won’t be counting on them. .
Still on CNN, a Malibu couple standing on the roof of her house is confident she can fight the wildfire. They actually have tons of water and water-hoses around their house in the hopes that it will deter the wildfires. Are you kidding me? People, there is a reason why it is called a “wild”-fire. I guess living near Hollywood have a way of tweaking your perception of reality.

My heart goes out to all the folks in California, who won’t be sleeping peacefully tonight. We keep you in our prayers around the country and the world.
However, for the couple standing on the roof preparing to fight the fire, good luck. Just so you know, its ok to use your brain sometimes.

God Help Us All.

PS: Comments intentionally disabled for this post.

Unlucky Day for Reggae Music

Songs like “Together as One” and “Different Colors, One People” made the words of Lucky Dube true to the very nature of our humanity. We live and die, survive and crash in the filth of our own imaginations. Wars, famine and poverty is just a few of the by products of our actions and mis-actions.

People of all ages and races took turns in talking about the need to find the common strings that bind us all together, and Lucky Dube was never shy of his convictions.
The world mourns the death South African reggae star, Lucky Dube. According to reliable sources, he was dropping his teenage son and daughter off in a Johannesburg suburb when he was attacked by car thieves. Alongside Bob Marley, Lucky Dube was thought of as one of the greatest reggae artists - singing about social problems. That’s how I know Lucky Dube; he speaks words of truth through a powerful sense of seeking to liberate humanity from its own misery.
Ask anyone (including P.W. Botha) who knew a thing or two about apartheid regime in South Africa and they will tell you how much of Lucky Dube’s music were thorns in their flesh. His albums ‘Slave’, ‘Prisoner’ and ‘Together As One’ saw him gain first national, and then a much deserved global, recognition.

On this flip side of this sad page, South Africa is looking forward to hosting the World Cup in three years, and unless someone apart from Nelson Mandela can explain how come South Africa is fast becoming a minefield of hate and senseless violence, I am fast approaching a change of heart. Of course I am under no illusion of the fact that the soccer games will still go on as scheduled but this sure is a solid platform to address a problem that is scratching the country off the peace map.

Lucky Dube released his most recent album, ‘Respect.’ In his recent performance here in Houston (Tom Bass Park), his words were still powerful and on-point. The only fear was man true to his ideals as Lucky Dube was, might not see his life’s dream come to fruition. Maybe the world will someday come ‘together as one’ but in the face of meaningless murders as this; we still have a long way to go.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN!

'Nuff Respect Man!

Bhutto's Back

Pakistan and Pakistani politics have their own issues; a lot of them. Now there is a new one to add to President Musharraf’s headaches. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has returned to Karachi ending her 8 year self-imposed exile. The unfortunate twist is that the legal and political issues gripping the country have not changed much in 8 years. Surprise, surprise.

Benazir Bhutto is a Pakistani politician who became the first woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. Bhutto is the twice-elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, being sworn-in for the first time in 1988, to be deposed 20 months later, under controversial orders of the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, on grounds of alleged corruption. Benazir was re-elected to power in 1993 but subsequently sacked by the President in 1996 on similar charges.

Bhutto had been living in exile in Dubai since 1999, until she returned to Pakistan on today. Looming in the horizon, Ms Bhutto is the subject of another could still face arrest, but she came home for a reason. She also faces suicide bombing threats from pro-Taleban militants who have vowed to kill her; so call it bravery or courage, but if the Taliban wants you dead you must be wrecking some serious havoc.
Ms Bhutto, who heads the country's largest political force, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), has been prime minister twice. The government has granted her amnesty against corruption charges amid speculation about a possible power-sharing deal with President Pervez Musharraf. Yeah Benazir Bhuttomeans serious business and I am tempted to think that she will have her wish.

Fast forward; - whoever said Hillary Clinton would fade into oblivion, think again.

America’s Next President;- Stephen Colbert

There is good reason why I pay my cable bill on time, usually. Trust me it has nothing to do with MTV’s Date My Mom. Several years ago I listened to John Stewart on Comedy Central talk about the state of America; and that is when it hit me that sooner or later God will send a savior. Blame him all you want but George Bush didn’t just show up to mess everything up, th mess was already in progress.
Enough of the doomsday thought, one brave man may take Washington by storm. His excellency Mr. Colbert said, "I shall seek the office of the president of the United States." Thank God. Finally a real American from ‘Colbert nation.’ Finally one of our own.

Even if he changes his mind(which Im sure of because Stephen Colbert is not particularly fond of New Hampshire and Iowa.)I missed the most important announcement on the "The Colbert Report" , Stephen for president. Call it satire but jumping into the ring of an already crowded race means he had to stand out.
And he will stand out, because America will listen to every one of his ideas, including the new words he invents. Question his credentials all you want, but you know he wil be a leader full of ‘truthiness’.

In the name of "truthiness" and "wikiality", the next president of the United States of America is accepting applications for loyal citizens.

In God we trust, and in President Colbert we will believe.

Someday in Africa

Once upon a time Africa’s identity in global history lived beyond the shadows of disaster, chaos and ill-fated images of life. A continent so rich in every mineral and natural resource imaginable, suffers the most devastating of life’s handouts. Of course, there are bright spaces in Africa. Many more than the propaganda and the biased economic agendas will want you to believe but let’s face it; the problems in Africa is way beyond agenda-setting and socio-economic agenda.
In as much as I am careful to say that not every country in Africa is drenched wit the problems of poverty and war, for some weird reason, it is the most vivid image of the continent.
I read an interesting article, thanks to the research fellow Mirabel; that Africa poor because of war.
The article had a bunch of facts supporting the assertion but it ultimately based its reasoning on countries like Sudan, Sierra Leone Liberia and Rwanda. On the flip side, 4 out of 54 countries will not be a sound statistic to make a logical argument.
‘Fifteen years of conflicts have cost Africa about $300bn between 1990 and 2005. This is equal to the amount of international aid received during the same period.
And the continent loses an average of around $18bn a year because of armed conflict.’

The questions of where the arms come from, who is behind the armed conflicts and why the countries that fight actually wipe themselves out, are all questions that will leave more questions than answers. Well Mirabel, I think war has done a tremendous disservice to Africa as a continent and especially the countries that had suffered the direct hit. The United Nations are too busy fixing economic glitches in Asia and Europe, so something tells me that they will not be zooming in on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty anytime soon. Please tell Leornardo DiCaprio that 'Blood Diamond' wasnt enough to get the world's attention, so he might want to consider a sequel. This time please find a role for Jessica Alba;- thats a personal request.
Until then, the Dark Continent is on some journey, hopefully to a peaceful boulevard.

This Is Why We Are Hot

It's Monday morning and i dont have the case of the blues yet. My morning is actually great. . . and why not? The best team in the world proved yet again why they are the the best of the elite. Welcome to New England. We are the Patriots and we are the best.

God Bless America and God Bless the Patriots.

The Patriots flexed their offensive depth and completely dominated the Cowboys. With Dallas focusing its attention on WR Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte' Stallworth combined for 18 catches, 260 yards and three touchdowns. Tom Brady threw five touchdowns as the Patriots' spread offense -- and passing attack in general -- was just too much for the Cowboys to overcome. This might be the best offense we've seen in the past two decades, as it can beat you in so many ways. With Dallas spread out on defense, it just could not get consistent pressure. The Patriots receivers do an excellent job of adjusting their routes based on coverage, and when Dallas played off coverage, New England threw underneath. When the Cowboys pressed, the Pats went over the top. The Patriots did whatever they wanted all day in the passing game, and the Cowboys just did not have the personnel to match up. Dallas found out what we already knew: New England is the best team in the NFL, and the second-best team is not even close.

Notes from J. Green

A Peaceful World Beyond Religion

Until the end of time, the differences that exist in the diversity of religions might be the very dividing line for which we fight to avoid. Christianity over the years have had its share of the blame for various reasons, so is Islam. At some point what we believe, minus the biases we have formed from own value systems could help us understand each other. And Im thinking from a solely optimistic point of view. Understand each other? Well thats only necessary so that we dont wipe each other of the face of planet earth; an act that we are already on the fastrack to.
In recent days, more than 130 Muslim scholars have written to Pope Benedict, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Christian leaders urging greater understanding between the two faiths.

The premise here is that world peace could depend on improved relations between the major religious faiths. The letter identifies similarities in both religions, such as the requirements to accept only one god and live in peace with one's neighbours.
In some schools of thought, Christainity, Islam and Judaism are all monothestic, abrahamic religions. All three religions have many similarities, they have differences, advantages and disadvatages. During this epoch, no-one respects no-one. Most people hate certain religions, a significant amount of people are anti-semitic, islamophobic and racist but still they proclaim it is "freedom of speech". We have truly entered the age of ignorance in style therefore the best solution is for these religions to unite against the subconscious hatred. Or in some cases the balatant dislike for opposing and conflicting ideologies.

People choose religion based on faith rather than logic, so any attempt to argue with religious believers using logic is doomed to failure. Tolerant believers will support attempts to improve inter-faith relations; intolerant ones won't. This applies as much to sects (Catholic v Protestant, Sunni v Shia) as Christian v Jew v Muslim. Religions may well result in some good but are still based on superstition and, frequently, conflict.

I pray for the peace of the world, and I pray to my God of Heaven. Call him Allah, Yahweh, or any name you chose buty until we find the common strings that bind us all together as human beigns, our pyaers wont mean much.

Gore's Got My Vote

One of the most prestigious international awards, the Nobel Peace Prize, will be announced for this year on Friday. Of course in the absence of the Nelson Mandela's and the Mahatma Ghandi's, someone has to win. I am in no way infering that all we have left is the best of the worst, but at least you get my drift. A deserving memeber of society will be awarded the honor and sign his name to global fame on Friday. If my vote means anything, Ill sell it to Al Gore.

The former US vice-president Al Gore, is among the favorites to win for his work raising awareness on environmental issues, particularly global warming. Hey I voted for him in the 2000 elections, and it looks like after 7 years of 'agony' I am still a Gore guy. What has Al Gore done in the past God-knows-how-long to deserve a Nobel peace Prize? Muchas cosas? Nothing at all, he masterminded Live Earth 07, the bigest stage for environmental awareness throughout the world. Of course it wouldn't beat Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a Dream" speech, but hey the guy is working hard. Dont forget " An Inconvinient Truth". I fell asleep halfway through the lecture(oops, the movie) but it was more so because I was exhausted from inhaling all the emmission in the Houston ozone. Seriously though, it was a good movie, otherwise why else will Congress want him to share his ideas on Global Warming?

After that nail-biting conclusion to the 2000 election, Gore says with typical understatement, “well, that was a hard blow. What do you do? You make the best of it.” And for Gore, that meant returning to the issue that’s obsessed him since college: global warming. Of course naysayers have written off global warming as an unproven “theory” and dismissed Gore as tree-hugging alarmist. Either way, he did his homework, bounced back from a wild defeat, lined up some of the best musicians to perform on the same stage, for the same cause. Of course no one cared soon as the show went off the air, but you got to give him his props for at least taking a stand and sticking to it.


Gore the politician? Average. Gore the Environmentalist? Super. He's got my vote.

Another environment activist, Sheila Watt-Cloutier from Canada has also made mega contribution to society, so is Mercy Corps, a British charity nominated for its work in some of the world's poorest countries.

At teh end of the day however, call me bias, but I'm a Gore guy and Ill have to hand it to him. I just pray that he wont show up with a beard.

IRAQ; Sorry but I gotta leave

Getting into Iraq wasnt nearly as complicated as the idea of getting out of it.
Of course the question of how and why United states and Britain marched into Iraq is something for the finest minds in the year 2090 to dicsuss, but until then, it will find its place more so in the mystery books than in the history books. Fast foward to October 2007, Saddam Hussein is gone, the sectional conflicts are no where near calming down, the US and Britian are overstretched and quite frankly bit off a little more than we can chew.
So the logical answer to the storyline becomes Get Out While You Can. I am always taken back to Bracak Obama's words, 'all we have is series of bad options.' Samrt man, too bad he probably wont be president. *
Over in England, people are reserving their opinions on Tony Blair for signing up for the war in Iraq. They are doing exactly what Americans are trying to do; cut their losses, face the reality and chunk the duece. Gordon Brown has announced plans to halve Britain's military deployment in Iraq. Iraqi forces will have to step up their game. In the past months the overiding concern is leaving behind an unstanble country in the hands of terrorist s or other factions who wil swarm it immediately. Thus a logical argument for the pro-Bush ideology to stick around a little longer. BUT at some point Iraqi leaders will need to experience some tough love and develop that sense of ugency to act swifter than it will want to.
Looks like the United Sattse will have to be the opnlu country doing the babysitting in the Middle East. Lets face it, the harm is already done, or i guess its been done everyday. . and somehow the best way forward might be the way out. Im still waiting for some onside scoop from my good friends in Washington, but until i find anything else out, it was time to vacate the iraqi premises e a while ago.
Gordon Brown said the British troops would train and mentor Iraqi forces and be ready to back-up local security forces.
Read my previous article "No retreat No Surrender" but it loks like the 'retreat' is begun; just not here in the United States.
Just a thought.

From President to Prime Minister

The facts of the case: Russian President Vladimir Putin must leave office as president next year and according to my good friend from Belarus, he might become Russian prime minister. Of course, he accepted the proposal by the United Russia to head the party's list - without becoming a member. In Putin's attempt to stay at the centre of power in Russia there are mixed reactions.

People like Pro-Kremlin political analyst Gleb Pavlovsky describe it as a radical change but interestingly enough there are people from Russia, Belarus and throughout Europe who find this alignment just as fascinating. For President Vladimir Putin to be the most senior figure in a United Russia, the constitution would have to be changed and Putin has always made it clear he wants no changes to the constitution.
Mr. Putin cannot run for a third consecutive term as president, but the idea of staying around the leadership helm is still very ‘realistic.’ A United Russia is in the horizon and I am still learning about the inherent implications for the countries involved.

Until then, comments are free guys. . . .

Peace on the Peninsula

The leaders of North and South Korea have agreed to seek a permanent peace deal on the Korean Peninsula at the end of summit talks in Pyongyang. Judging from the historical intellect of people who read this blog, i am sure most people will aos wonder is this talks will bring long-lasting peace. Anything longer than a week I mean.
The leaders of North and South Korea have signed a joint declaration calling for a permanent peace deal on the Korean Peninsula. Yes the result of the three-day historic summit in Pyongyang let to South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and the North's Kim Jong-il agreement. In the backdrop, something needs to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Also North Korea JUST agreed to end its nuclear plans.

The spund of peace is lovely, no matter ho orchestrates it, and our world will live to see another happy moment since East and West Germany's reunion.

Thanks to my smart friend Mark, this is an interesting timeline.

1910: Korean Peninsula colonised by Japan
1945: Divided into US-backed South and Soviet-backed North
1950-1953: Korean War, no peace deal signed
1987: North Korea bombs a South airliner, killing 115
1990s: South Korea introduces conciliatory Sunshine Policy
2000: Kim Jong-il and Kim Dae-jung hold first leaders' summit
2007: Kim Jong-il and Roh Moo-hyun hold second leaders' summit

Of course I have to fing the George W Bush connection. He has welcomed the agreement, but Japan - one of the six countries involved in the talks - remained cautious. The two nations remain technically at war, more than fifty years after a ceasefire was signed.

I am just curious to see the next chapter in this story.
Looks peaceful so far.

Brtney's Baby Mama Drama. . . and we call this news?

You know the cliche. . . Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I spend some grueling months with Dr. Martha Haun at the University of Houston on the subject of whether it was the media that sets public agenda or the public that sets the media agenda. Of course even the most informative network is conscious of what people want to see, thus refrain from beeing too informative and borderline out of touch. There is a powerful word in television called 'ratings', and thats what your paycheck hangs on. They show what people want to see and in my brrief experience with television, indeed 'if it is not bleeding it is not leading'. . in fact if it is not bleding we dont need it.

First Britney Spears loses Kevin Federline, then loses her mind and then her baby too? I know what youre thinking, is this guy just downloading 'Oops I Did It Again' in his Ipod? Well maybe not, but in using Spears as a reference point for the media overexposure, I am only wondering if the 'so-called' celebrities would ever live like normal people if we didnt give them all the spotlightg even for their blatant misbahaviour. Most of the self-destruction is on every network and you cant help but see Lindsay Lohan's latest mess and paris Hilton's recent escapade.

Britney Spears has been ordered by a judge in Los Angeles to hand over her two young children to her former husband Kevin Federline. Oh so Fed-ex is the better option. . Maybe its a social obsesssion with celebrities thats sending our social fibre on a fastrack into the doldruims. Something tells me that the rehab centers will forever be filled with the Britney's,the Lidsey's and the Whitney's too. . . but Im afraid our society yearns for such mess in the media, so the media has to provide good service. Someday we might get back to the basics of what matters in life, not the glamour and the bling, until the God bless my America.

Welcome to the age of junk culture, oh I meant pop culture.